Favoritism in the Classroom

Favoritism, the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another. Favoritism in the workplace is a well-known yet unacceptable issue. Some bosses and managers grant special privileges to their favorite employees without considering others with equal if not more talents. It is assumed that teachers, the “bosses” and “managers” of school, would not fall into that stereotype, but some students here at CHS disagree. 

When speaking with CHS students about favoritism in the classroom, there was a common denominator within all the conversations. It is there, and we can tell. CHS senior Katharyn MacDonald expressed how she has witnessed some teachers conducting a favoritism heavy environment and how it was harmful to the overall learning environment. 

“I have experienced teachers considering their favorite students above all others when choosing for selective opportunities, even if there are non-favorites who may be more fitting. Some teachers have even made opportunities exclusive to make sure only certain favorite students are included. This favoritism significantly harms the classroom environment, causing resentment among students who aren’t given fair treatment or chances.” 

As a teacher, is it fair to give one student more attention and opportunities over another? When discussing favoritism in the classroom, it is important to understand the difference between having a favorite student and conducting favoritism. It should be understood that teachers are human beings; they are going to have students who they like over others. However, the question is not whether teachers have favorites but whether they treat their favorites differently. 

“I absolutely believe favoritism is present here at CHS. There will always be unintentional favoritism no matter where you go. It’s in the little things, like continuously asking a certain student to put their headphones away while another student is doing the exact same thing,” said CHS senior Makenzie Stalker. 

Favoritism is an accusation that is hard to prove. When accusing a teacher of conducting favoritism, most will think the student is just making excuses for their poor performance. To fix this issue, I think schools should have a set place where students can report when they think their teachers are treating them unfairly such as the main or guidance office, where students know they will be taken seriously with their concerns. Much like a report on bullying or harassment, there should be a form that students can make expressing a concern on favoritism. With an actual system in place, it can not only give students peace of mind but also make teachers more aware of unintentional favoritism that they may conduct.